IUU Fishing Vessel Nabbed With 80 Tons of Salmon

A USCGC Alex Haley (WMEC 39) boarding team boards the fishing vessel Run Da after the vessel was suspected of illegal high seas drift net fishing in the North Pacific Ocean. The boarding team discovered 80 tons of chum salmon and one ton of squid on board. US Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class William Colclough.

A fishing vessel suspected of illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing activity in international waters was detained on June 23 by US and Chinese Coast Guard crews, along with one ton of squid and 80 tons of chum salmon on board.

The boarding of the Chinese-flagged fishing vessel Run Da in international waters 860 miles east of Hokkaido, Japan, was a joint international effort of the US Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley crew, homeported in Kodiak, and the People's Republic of China Coast Guard.

USCGC Alex Haley (WMEC 39) and People's Republic of China Coast Guard crew members uncover an approximately 5.6-mile drift net with supporting gear onboard the fishing vessel Run Da during a joint boarding of the vessel 860 miles east of Hokkaido, Japan. The Alex Haley crew transferred custody of the Run Da to the PRC Coast Guard for prosecution. US Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class William Colclough.

According to Capt. Darran McLenon, chief of response for the 17th Coast Guard District, detention of the Run Da was the first apprehension of a large-scale, high seas driftnet vessel since 2014 and highlights the successful fisheries enforcement cooperation and patrols of the US, Canada, China, Japan, Russia and the Republic of Korea, including the force multiplying value of shiprider agreements, which enables joint high seas boarding and inspections to detect and deter IUU fishing.

The Run Da is suspected of violating the worldwide driftnet moratorium called for by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 46/215, which calls for full implementation of a global moratorium on all large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing on the high seas. US Coast Guard officials said the captain of the Run Da admitted to fishing with driftnets up to 5.6 miles in length.

Custody of the Run Da and its crew were transferred to PRC Coast Guard vessel 2301 in the Sea of Japan some 92 miles west of Japan, for escort to China to face prosecution. The PRC has jurisdiction for any enforcement actions taken on the vessel, master and owner.

Resolution 46/215, approved on Dec. 20, 1991, established boarding procedures for law enforcement officials of either country to board and inspect US or Chinese-flagged vessels suspected of high seas driftnet fishing. The memorandum of understanding also established a shiprider program that allows Chinese fisheries enforcement officials to embark on US Coast Guard vessels or aircraft.